The standards, side by side
The short version: EN71 is the EU family, ASTM F963 + CPSIA + a CPC is the US set, CA Prop 65 is California-specific, and ISO 8124 / AS-NZS ISO 8124 cover most of the rest of the world. They overlap heavily on mechanical safety and heavy metals — a toy built to the stricter of EU and US specs usually clears both.
| Standard | Primary market | What it tests | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|---|
EN71 (EU Toy Safety Directive)EN71-1 mechanical · EN71-2 flammability · EN71-3 migration of 19 heavy metals |
European Union, UK (UKCA), Turkey, much of Middle East & Asia via adoption | Sharp points, small parts, tensile strength of seams/eyes, burn rate of fabrics, and heavy-metal migration from every accessible material (plush, filler, thread, plastic parts). | We design to EN71 from the first sketch — material spec, seam construction and eye attachment method are all chosen to pass. |
| ASTM F963 + CPSIA | United States | Mechanical & physical (similar to EN71-1/2), heavy-element limits, lead in substrate, and mandatory third-party testing by a CPSC-accredited lab. | We specify phthalate-free, lead-free materials and use US-market filler and locking eye attachment so the production run passes CPSC testing. |
| CPC (Children's Product Certificate) | United States (required to import) | Not a test itself — a certificate the importer issues, declaring the toy meets ASTM F963 + CPSIA, backed by a lab test report. | We hand you the test report and a draft CPC template so your US entry is documented, not guessed. |
| CA Prop 65 | California, USA | Requires a warning if a product exposes users to a listed chemical (certain phthalates, lead) above safe-harbor levels. | We use Prop-65-compliant materials so no warning label is needed — important for US retail and Amazon. |
| ISO 8124 / AS-NZS ISO 8124 / GB 6675 | International, Australia/NZ, China | Closely aligned with EN71/ASTM; GB 6675 is mandatory for toys sold in China. | For China-bound or global SKUs we align to the local equivalent so one build serves multiple markets. |
Which one do you actually need?
Pick by where the toy will be sold, not by what a supplier happens to have on the shelf.
Buyer FAQ
Is CE required for toys sold in the United States?
No. The US does not recognise CE marking. Toys sold in the US must comply with ASTM F963 plus the CPSIA, and the importer must issue a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) based on a CPSC-accredited lab test.
Can one toy be compliant for both the EU and the US?
Yes. Most export-grade factories build to the stricter of both: EN71 for Europe and ASTM F963 + CPSIA for the US. Dual testing is standard, so a single production run can clear both markets.
What does "CE marked" actually mean for a toy?
CE is a self-declaration by the manufacturer/importer that the toy meets the EU Toy Safety Directive, supported by an EN71 test report from an accredited lab. It is not a government-issued certificate. If a supplier cannot show the EN71 test report, the CE mark is worthless.
Do plush toys need EN71-3 (heavy metal migration)?
Yes. EN71-3 limits migration of 19 heavy metals from any accessible material — fabrics, fillings, embroidery thread and plastic eyes included. Plush is tested precisely because children mouth it.
Are phthalates restricted in toys?
Yes. In the EU they are restricted under REACH and in the US under CPSIA, with strict limits on DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP and DnOP in children's products. Specifying phthalate-free PVC is the norm for export-grade toys.
This page is a plain-language guide, not legal advice. Always confirm the current version of each standard and your importer's documentation requirements before production.